End cap for the work arms of sewing machines



Jan. 28, 1930. H. J. LE VESCONTE END CAP FOR THE WORK ARMS OF SEWING MACHINES Filed Oct. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Jan. 28, 1930. LE v sc I 1,744,774

END CAP FOR THE WORK ARMS OF SEWING MACHINES Filed 901;. 21, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fl gi.

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Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD 3'. LE VESCONTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO UNION SPECIAL MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS END CAP FOR THE WORK ARMS OF SEWING MACHINES Application filed October 21, 1926. Serial No. 143,194.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in an end cap for the work supporting arm of a sewing machine.

An object of the invention is to provide an 5 end cap for enclosing the stitch forming elements located at the free end of a work supporting arm, which end cap is formed of sections, and wherein means is provided for yieldingly moving said end cap sections to open position, and wherein a latch readily ao cessible to the operator is used for holding said end cap sections in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an end cap construction of the above type wherein the sections are movable about a vertical axis. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting means for the sectional end cap of the above type, which supporting means is mounted in the free end of the work supporting arm and so disposed as to be substantially housed by the end cap sections when in closed position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an end cap support of the above type which may also be used for aiding and supporting the outer end of the throat plate.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an end cap construction of the above type, wherein the latch is in the form of a leaf spring carried by the supporting means and engaging shoulders on the end cap sec tions, and wherein said latch is operated to release the sections by a finger piece projecting below the end cap.

These and other objects will in part beobvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view showing a portion of a sewing machine with my improved end cap;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the free end of the work supporting arm shown in Fig. 1, the end cap being shown as closed in full lines and as open in broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is asectional view on the line let of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a detail showing the blank from which the latch is formed for holding the end sections in closed position, and

Fig. 6 is a detail showing in top plan view the bracket for supporting the end cap sections.

The invention is directed broadly to the construction of an end cap for the free end of a work supporting arm of the cylindrical type. Carried by and projecting beyond the end of the work supporting arm is a throat plate, and beneath the throat plate is a looper or loopers which cooperates with the needle or needles. My improved end cap is for the purpose of enclosing the looper and providing a structure whereby the end cap is sectional and the sections may be readily moved so as to render the looper accessible for threading. Mounted in the free end of the work supporting arm is a bracket which extends horizontally and then vertically to a position beneath the outer end of the throat plate. This bracket is rigidly supported by the end of the work supporting arm and is not intended to be supported by a throat plate, although it is directly beneath the throat 7 plate, and the throat plate may be attached thereto to aid in supporting the throat plate. The end cap isformed in two sections, and each section is pivotally mounted on the vertical portion of the bracket, so that the sections of the end cap swing about a vertical axis. Spring means is provided for normally holding the end cap sections in open position, so that access may be had to the looper. A latch is provided and supported by said bracket for engaging the sections when moved to closed position for holding the sections in closed position. A finger piece or button is attached to the latch and projects below the end cap sections, so that the operator-may readily lift the latch, and when the latch is lifted, the end cap sections will automatically swing to open position.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my improved end cap is shown as applied to a sewing machine having a work supporting arm 1 which is of the cylindrical type. At the free end of this work supporting arm, there is a throat late 2 secured to the work supporting arm y screws 3, 3. Directly 100 above the throat plate is a presser foot 1, and in Fig. 1 of the drawings, two needles 5, 5 are shown. Co-operating with these needles 5, 5 are loopers 6, 6 shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

A bracket rod 7 consisting of a horizontal portion 8 and a vertical portion 9, is inserted in a recess 10 in the end of the work support-- ing arm 1, and is secured therein by set screws 11, 11. These set screws operate to hold the vertical portion 9 of the bracket in vertical position. The upper end of the vertical portion 9 is directly beneath the throat plate, and a screw 12 may be passed through said throat plate into the bracket. The purpose of this connection of the bracket to the throat plate is to make a more durable support for the outer end of the throat plate. My improved end cap consists of two sections 13 and 14. Each section is curved, and the two sections are so formed that when in closed position, they are a substantial continuation of the cylindrical work supporting arm. This forms a housing for the loopers within the end cap. The end cap section 13 is provided with an end wall 15 and with a lug 16 having a vertical opening adapted to fit over the vertical portion 9 of the bracket. Said bracket has a shoulder 17 on which this lug 16 may rest. The section 1 1 is also provided with an end wall 18, and with a lug 19 provided with an opening which fits on the vertical portion 9 of the supporting bracket. The lugs 16 and 19 at their adjacent faces are recessed, and located in this recess is a spring 20. The spring 20 at one end bears against one end cap, and at the other end bears against the other end cap. This spring operates to swing the end cap sections on the vertical portion 9 to open position. The end cap sections along their lower edges and on the inner faces thereof are recessed, as indicated at 21. These recesses are to receive and house the section 8 of the bracket.

It will be noted from the drawings that when the sections of the end cap are in closed position, the portions 8 and 9 of the bracket 7 are substantially housed by the end cap. The portion 8 of the bracket is cylindrical, but is cut away so as to form a flat section 22 and a flat section 23. Between these fiat sections there is a recess 24. The flat spring 25 is provided with a supporting shank 26 having a hole 27 therethrough. This shank 26 is adapted to rest upon the flat section 23, and a screw 28 passing through the hole 27 rigidly clamps the spring to the section 8 of the bracket. At the free end of the spring, there is a pin 29 which is rigidly carried by the section 8 of the bracket, and this pin extends through a hole 30 in the spring plate and guides the up and down movements of the free end of the spring plate. This spring plate is provided with a lateral projection 31 which surrounds the bracket and performs the function of a button or finger piece by which the leaf spring may be raised at its free end. The end cap sections are recessed, and the section 8 of the bracket on its lower face is recessed so as to permit sufficient vertical movement of the leaf spring. The section 13 of the end cap is provided with a lug 32, and the section 1 1 of the end cap is provided with a lug 33. The leaf spring has lateral projections 3% and 35, which are bent so as to provide shoulders 36 beyond which the ends are turned up. The shoulder 36 of the lateral projection 34 is adapted to engage the lug 32 of the end cap section 13 and hold the end cap in closed position, while the shoulder 36 of the lateral section 35 of the latch engages the lug 33 and holds the section 14 in closed position.

From the above it will be apparent that when the operator desires to get access to the loopers for threading or adjusting, all that is necessary is to reach beneath the end cap and press upwardly on the finger piece 31. This will lift the latch so that the shoulders 36 are released from the lugs 32 and 33, and the spring will at once move the end cap sections to open position as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. When it is desired to close the end cap, all the operator has to do is to press inwardly on the end cap sections, and when they are brought up against the section 8 of the bracket, the latch will automatically be seated in behind the lugs and hold the sections in closed position. Therefore, the end sections are automatically locked in closed position when moved to said position by the operator, and they are automatically moved to open position when released by the operator.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a sectional end cap, means for supporting said sections on a common vertical pivotal axis disposed at the outer end of the work supporting arm whereby said sections may be moved relative to each other, means for yieldingly holding said sections in open position, and a releasable means for holding said sections in closed position.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a sectional end cap, each section having a segmental side wall and an end wall, means whereby said sections are pivotally supported by the end walls thereof so that said sections move relative to each other about a vertical axis common to both sections, and means for holding said sections in closed position.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a sectional end cap, each section having a segmental side wall and an end wall, means whereby said sections are pivotally supported by the end walls thereof so that said sections move relative to each other about a vertical axis common to both sections, means for holding said sections in closed position, and spring means for normally moving said sections to open position when released from said holding means.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a bracket rigidly attached to said arm and projecting horizontally from the free end thereof, said bracket having its outer end extending upwardly to form a vertical pivot member, end cap sections mounted on said vertical pivot member to swing horizontally, a spring engaging said end cap sections and surrounding said pivotal member for moving the end cap sections to open position, and a spring latch carried by said bracket and adapted to engage the end cap sections adjacent the free ends thereof for locking said sections in closed position.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a bracket rigidly connected to said arm and projecting horizontally therefrom, said bracket having a vertical portion at its outer end, end cap sections, each including a segmental side wall and an end wall, each end wall being provided with a perforated lug, one lug be ing spaced above the other so as to engage the vertical portion of the bracket and be supported thereby, a spring surrounding said bracket and housed in recesses in said lugs and engaging said end sections for normally swinging said end sections to open position, said end sections being recessed along their lower edges so as to engage the bracket when in closed position, and a spring latch mounted on the bracket for engaging the end sections adjacent the free ends thereof for holding the same in closed position.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a bracket rod rigidly mounted at the free end of said work supporting arm and projecting horizontally therefrom, said bracket rod having a vertical portion, an end cap consisting of two sections, each section having a segmental side wall and a flat end wall, said flat end walls being formed with lugs adapted to overlie one another and engage the vertical portion of the bracket, the adjacent faces of said lugs being recessed, and a spring housed in said recesses and engaging the end sections for normally moving the same to open position, said horizontal section of the bracket being within the end cap sections when said sections are closed, each end cap section having fa lug at the free end thereof, and a leaf spring secured to the bracket and having its free end provided with shoulders adapted to engage the lugs for holding the end cap sections in closed position, said leaf spring having a finger piece projecting beneath the bracket and below the end cap sections whereby the leaf spring may be raised so as to allow the sections to automatically move to open position.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination of a work supporting arm, a bracket rod rigidly mounted at the free end of said work supporting arm and projecting horizontally therefrom, said bracket rod having a vertical portion, an end cap consisting of two sections, each section having a segmental side wall and a flat end wall, said flat end walls being formed with lugs adapted to overlie one another and engage the vertical portion of the bracket, the adjacent faces of said lugs being recessed, a spring housed in said recesses and engaging the end sections for normally moving the same to open position, said horizontal section of the bracket being within the end cap sections when said sections are closed, each end cap section having a lug at the free end thereof, and a leaf spring secured to the bracket and having its free end provided with shoulders adapted to engage the lugs for holding the end cap sections in closed position, said leaf spring having a finger piece projecting beneath the bracket and below the end cap sections whereby the leaf spring may be raised so as to allow the sections to automatically move to 0 en positions and leaf spring adjacent the liolding shoulders thereon being shaped so that when said sections are moved to closed position, said shoulders will automatically engage the lugs on the sections.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HAROLD J. LE VESCONTE. 

